Peloponnesian War - a military conflict, which had devastating consequences, between the Athenian Empire, known as Delos Symmachus and the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta.On it there are many historical testimonies of contemporaries, but the most important among them is the product of the "History" Thucydides.Most of the comedies of Aristophanes, in which some military leaders ridiculed and events were written in this period.
Athens and Sparta - two powerful city-states - were allies during the Greco-Persian Wars (499-449 gg. BC).Following the retreat of the Persians, Athens increased their influence not only in the Aegean and the Black Sea region, but also sought to dominate in Greece.
Historians believe that the Peloponnesian War broke out because of the fear of increasing the power of Sparta to Athens, which more and more isolated their competitors.Both states were powerful and could ignore the old rules of infantry combat.Supported almost 200,000 helots who worked on farms and Massena Laconia Spartans put hoplites who had an excellent military training.They were well known for their courage, skills of martial arts and invention offensive strategy, called the formation of the phalanx.This innovative strategy has been very successful during the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC and Plataea in 479 BC, after the war, which ended in ancient Greece, the victory over the Persians.
After the Persian retreat, Athens has not stopped using the trireme, on the contrary, they have significantly increased their fleet.Raised on a tribute vassal city-states located on the islands and shores of the Aegean Sea, the policy has become a kind of "good police", supervising his subordinates allies.Over the next decade he acquired great influence in the union (or Delian Symmachus as the main governing body was on the island of Delos).
Other countries participating in the union, totally dependent on Athens, and were limited to financial contributions.Gradually it becomes a common treasury wasted solely on the Athenian projects rather than on the protection of the Ionian and Aegean seas from potential invaders and pirates in the face of the same Persians.Pericles generally suffered treasury from Delos to Athens, the money began to be used to finance extensive construction undertaken by him, in particular, the Parthenon.
Sparta anxiously watched as the state, Confederated, lost control over their ships, and Athens turned into a maritime empire.Increase their power, they were able to challenge the Lacedaemonians, known as the Spartans, the leader of another union, which has long remained the only major military force in Greece.Sparta and its allies, with the exception of Corinth, was able to fight the ground forces.But it was really an invincible army.Thus, the two powers could not hold a decisive battle and end the dispute "one day."
Peloponnesian War began due to a few specific actions on the part of Athens, which resulted in the affected allies of Sparta.Athenian fleet prevented Corinth form a colony in Corfu, in addition, the empire has taken economic sanctions against Megara, which could be fatal to them.
Peloponnesian War, which began in 431 BC, lasted a total of 27 years, with a six-year truce somewhere in the middle of this period, and ended with the surrender of Athens in 404 BC.One of the reasons for the defeat of long-term power called an unexpected outbreak of plague in 430, which killed Pericles and at least a quarter of the citizens.Nearly three decades of constant struggle led to the bankruptcy of the empire, the forces were exhausted and demoralized.
Peloponnesian War ended with the termination of the existence of the Athenian naval power.Sparta and its allies have turned to obschegrecheskih organization enforcers throughout oligarchic rule.
